Eleven of the Best: Loanees

[BillyStubbsTears]

Excellent article.

I'd add Chris Brown in 03/04. Those who only saw him as the MkII workhorse later on wouldn't have believed the elegance of him as a younger player. He scored one goal against Mansfield I think, or maybe Bristol Rovers, where he ran through the centre of the defence then bamboozled the keeper with a shimmy, left him on his arse and glided past him to score.

There was another moment at Macclesfield where he danced into the box past three defenders before the third one lunged in to where the ball was supposed to be going, only to find it had switched to Brown's other foot, drawing the foul and penalty effortlessly.

 I'd never seen a Rovers player with such effortless control of the ball, and quick thinking that seemed to make everyone else look like they were playing in slow motion.

If he hadn't been cursed with injuries like his dad, he'd have played 300 times in the top division. I'd say, for the standard of the time, he's the best long term loan we've ever had.

https://youtu.be/UX0ftneVwcQ

Will certainly jog memories.

That was the one DBR.

Not exactly as I recalled it, and not particularly outstanding by today's standards.

Back then it was magnificent. The control and the calmness was rarely seen at our level back then. Especially by a 19 year old.

[Campsall rover]

Excellent article.

I'd add Chris Brown in 03/04. Those who only saw him as the MkII workhorse later on wouldn't have believed the elegance of him as a younger player. He scored one goal against Mansfield I think, or maybe Bristol Rovers, where he ran through the centre of the defence then bamboozled the keeper with a shimmy, left him on his arse and glided past him to score.

There was another moment at Macclesfield where he danced into the box past three defenders before the third one lunged in to where the ball was supposed to be going, only to find it had switched to Brown's other foot, drawing the foul and penalty effortlessly.

 I'd never seen a Rovers player with such effortless control of the ball, and quick thinking that seemed to make everyone else look like they were playing in slow motion.

If he hadn't been cursed with injuries like his dad, he'd have played 300 times in the top division. I'd say, for the standard of the time, he's the best long term loan we've ever had.

https://youtu.be/UX0ftneVwcQ

Will certainly jog memories.

That was the one DBR.

Not exactly as I recalled it, and not particularly outstanding by today's standards.

Back then it was magnificent. The control and the calmness was rarely seen at our level back then. Especially by a 19 year old.

Yes have to agree he was one of the best 19 year olds we have had at the club in my time.
He played a massive part in the success of that 03/04 season.
Only maybe Ian Snodin was better at that age & of course they played in different positions.

Only other striker as a 19 year old comparable would be Neil Woods imo but would give Brown the striker no 1 slot.

[Super Colin Cramb]

I would have liked to have seen Mike Jeffrey in  the best loan players. On loan from Newcastle initially he scored 19 goals in a team the struggled (finished 15th) is fairly impressive.

[Campsall rover]

I would have liked to have seen Mike Jeffrey in  the best loan players. On loan from Newcastle initially he scored 19 goals in a team the struggled (finished 15th) is fairly impressive.

Thought we had him on loan from Bolton & signed him permanently and sold him to Newcastle?

[Glyn_Wigley]

That is another good read, thank you.

Personally would add in there Kieron Brady, Danny Williamson, Andy Turner and a lad who was quietly but very consistently good, JJ Melligan.

Agree with all that. There’s a case for Jay Emmanuel Thomas to be included too.

JET should be nowhere near that list. True, he had wonderful flashes of genius at times but he was mostly average and when he was bad he was awful. Not nearly consistent enough for me.

[Draytonian III]

I would have liked to have seen Mike Jeffrey in  the best loan players. On loan from Newcastle initially he scored 19 goals in a team the struggled (finished 15th) is fairly impressive.

Thought we had him on loan from Bolton & signed him permanently and sold him to Newcastle?

✅✅

[NickDRFC]

That is another good read, thank you.

Personally would add in there Kieron Brady, Danny Williamson, Andy Turner and a lad who was quietly but very consistently good, JJ Melligan.

Agree with all that. There’s a case for Jay Emmanuel Thomas to be included too.

JET should be nowhere near that list. True, he had wonderful flashes of genius at times but he was mostly average and when he was bad he was awful. Not nearly consistent enough for me.

Disagree with you here. He was/is a flair player and was a teenager when he was with us - neither category are renowned for consistency. He quite often looked clumsy or ungainly in possession but he was very effective for us.

[Chris Black come back]

I would have liked to have seen Mike Jeffrey in  the best loan players. On loan from Newcastle initially he scored 19 goals in a team the struggled (finished 15th) is fairly impressive.

Thought we had him on loan from Bolton & signed him permanently and sold him to Newcastle?

✅✅

He played 49 times for us in the fourth tier and scored 19 league goals, before leaving us aged 22 in October 1993. He only scored a further 14 league goals across the entirety of the rest of his career.

[Glyn_Wigley]

That is another good read, thank you.

Personally would add in there Kieron Brady, Danny Williamson, Andy Turner and a lad who was quietly but very consistently good, JJ Melligan.

Agree with all that. There’s a case for Jay Emmanuel Thomas to be included too.

JET should be nowhere near that list. True, he had wonderful flashes of genius at times but he was mostly average and when he was bad he was awful. Not nearly consistent enough for me.

Disagree with you here. He was/is a flair player and was a teenager when he was with us - neither category are renowned for consistency. He quite often looked clumsy or ungainly in possession but he was very effective for us.

He was the only player I've ever seen who, when jumping to head a ball coming towards him, decided to duck out of the header so much that the ball went over his shoulder and hit him on the arse, which was the part of him furthest from the ground when it happened.

[Jonathan]

That is another good read, thank you.

Personally would add in there Kieron Brady, Danny Williamson, Andy Turner and a lad who was quietly but very consistently good, JJ Melligan.

Agree with all that. There’s a case for Jay Emmanuel Thomas to be included too.

JET should be nowhere near that list. True, he had wonderful flashes of genius at times but he was mostly average and when he was bad he was awful. Not nearly consistent enough for me.

Disagree with you here. He was/is a flair player and was a teenager when he was with us - neither category are renowned for consistency. He quite often looked clumsy or ungainly in possession but he was very effective for us.

Agreed. Anyone saying he should be nowhere near the list should be nowhere near the list themselves.